Don Cossack finished strongly to record an easy success in the Grade Two Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles on Thursday but the lazy side of his nature was on display too, prompting Gordon Elliott, his trainer, to suggest that the eight-year-old could wear cheekpieces when he lines up in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March.

Don Cossack set off as the 1-8 favourite against three opponents and crossed the line nearly 10 lengths clear of the runner-up, Wounded Warrior. It was not quite as bloodless a success as those bare facts might suggest, however, and for a few seconds on the final circuit, it seemed that Bryan Cooper, Don Cossack’s jockey, might need to earn his fee.

The favourite was ridden to keep his position after jumping both the fourth- and third-last fences, and was given a reminder by Cooper as well. It had the required effect, and Don Cossack was in complete command at the last, adding to the impression that he would have gone very close in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last month but for his fall at the second-last.

Don Cossack was narrowly in front of Cue Card, the eventual winner, when he came down at Kempton, having jumped the previous fence about a length behind him. As on Thursday, he raced a little lazily around halfway before staying on strongly, and Timeform rated his performance 3lb in front of both Cue Card and Vautour, who was beaten by a head into second place.

“I worked him in cheekpieces the other day and he absolutely flew,” Elliott said, “but I didn’t want to put them on him today. If we’re going to have them, we’ll have them for the Gold Cup. But that’s not definite, I’ll have to speak to Michael [O’Leary, Don Cossack’s owner] and Eddie [O’Leary, his racing manager] and we’ll see.

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“He’s that type of horse. Even when he won the Gold Cup at Punchestown [in April] last year, before the turn in he was off the bridle. It’s not nice to be looking at, but he always seems to finish better and that’s his strength and hopefully we’ll have that for Cheltenham.

“He’s going to be an awful lot better on better ground. We’ve said it all along and the facts prove it, if you look at last year, when he gets the better ground, he’s a stone better horse. But he’ll have to be a stone better to win a Gold Cup.”

Don Cossack lined up for the Ryanair Chase at least year’s Festival and again finished strongly after being short of room two out.

The three-and-a-quarter miles of the Gold Cup will bring his stamina into play and he remains second-favourite for the Gold Cup behind Djakadam, last year’s runner-up, at a top price of 6-1.

“He’s come back in trip [today] which isn’t ideal as he’s turning into more of a stayer,” Cooper said. “He’s getting older and these old horses, they lose their speed when you train them to stay. What I liked was that when I jumped the second-last, I gave him two or three taps on the shoulder and he went on.

“He didn’t make any mistakes, when I wanted him he was there, but the big thing [will be] better ground. He’s by no means ungenuine, he’s just lazy, because we’ve spent two seasons trying to settle him and now that we have, he’s probably gone to sleep.

“He got the job done and now we can concentrate on Cheltenham. There’s only one day that counts.”

Don Cossack may have given his backers a few nervous moments on the way to victory, but he did not let them down as thoroughly as Bitofapuzzle, who travelled from Harry Fry’s stable to run in the card’s Grade Two novice chase for mares.

Sent off at 30-100, Bitofapuzzle was still travelling well three out, but did not come up at the fence when asked and gave Noel Fehily no chance to stay in the saddle. Victory eventually went to the 33-1 outsider Aunt Nora.